Adventure Magazine Cover — page 112: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

of ee palics, some of them ‘nad turned back, = = : “probably returning to their old haunts on the Purgatory. ens scored a coup in the seco esti- mation by proudly announcing - covery of an unsuspected trail leading over the summit and tapping the toll-road on the south slope. By following this, and It was Crooked Arm who e dis- at the expense of an extra hour of rough riding, one could avoid the toll-gate en- tirely. This trail, Crooked Arm explained, followed one of the terraces which rose in succession from the road to Raton Peak _in the east. After his interesting information had been absorbed, Crooked Arm _ proudly added— “Men ‘riding fast have passed south over that trail since sunrise.” “How many?” snapped Uncle Dick. Crooked Arm held up both hands with the fingers extended and further explained: “‘The way is rough from here to the trail, but the trail itself is good for ponies, narrow but clear. [I-did not follow it back to where it strikes into the road south of the big gate.” “You keep on and you'll win a whole headful of feathers,’ complimented Uncle Dick in English. Then in Arapaho: “Crooked Arm has done well. His eyes are like an eagle’s. He shall have a new rifle when I go where there is a big trad- ing-store.”’ Then Yellow Bear spoke up: : “The white men have scattered, half going south, half going back toward the river. What does my brother ask the Arapahoes to do?” Uncle Dick was in.a quandary. His resentment against the gang had accumu- lated slowly. At first it was caused by his natural prejudice against a lawless element, based on the law of self-preser- vation or the primitive fear that he, per- sonally, might be one of its victims. With the advent of the girl into his life, however, this general bias had evolved into a violent hostility, and, whereas formerly he would have been willing for the authorities to eliminate the nuisance, he now deemed it his duty as an individual to harry the gang and lay the leader by the heels. “Those who have gene south have prob- ably separated. Some have gone to Cimar- ron, some to Las Vegas, others to the Val- = : _ ley of the Taos, perhaps to Santa Fé or en a yr , Se - ~4P ~ into Mexico. They’v ve lies gone for see or will be back, but those who have re-~ turned to the Purgatory will keep together, I think we shall travel back to the river.” “My warriors will ride after we have eaten again,” said Yellow Bear with a side glance at the cook-house. UNCLE DICK was on the point of , ordering that a second meal be “=i served the Indians at once, al- ‘Boigh the first had barely been bolted, when the arrival of the north-bound stage demanded his attention. Several passen- gers hurried to the eating-room, eager to partake of the excellent fare after rather try- ing experiences with the average station Halting the driver, Uncle Dick inquired— “See any agents on your way up the pass?” The driver shifted his cud of ones and admiringly asked: ‘“How’d ye happen to guess it? I was goin’ to tell after Id et.”’ _ Then you did see some?”’ “T wa’n’t bothered any, or ye’d heard me bleatin’ the minute I hit the top of the pass, but if I didn’t see that Chuckle-Luck . king at me from the bush, I never hope to hold ribbons over a overland coach outfit again.” - “And he didn’t try to hold you up?” asked Uncle Dick incredulously. “No, sirree! I was watchin’ the road ahead as I struck the slope. Somethin’ moved in the undergrowth. ~The grade was steep an’ I knew I couldn’t make a bolt. I yapped for the passengers to have their stuff ready. The mules have been held up so many times that they got ready to stop. But nothin’ happened. I slowed down an’ looked into the bush an’ got a glimpse of Chuckle’s face. He wasn’t wearin’ a mas but seemed to be hidin’. Well, says I, I give ye yer chance. If ye’re too —— proud to hold me up ye can go to——. An’ [ passes on an’ leaves him.” “Thanks. Better go eat. Injun friends have sort of reduced my supplies and the passengers are getting ahead of you.”’ The driver bolted for the eating-room but paused to shoot back over his shoulder— “T was ‘forgettin’ to say that I see a friend of yours.’ &¢ S oP?” “Young Sam Koma, what was bores -_ ~_—# oF on eg al ao tt ee vex ee ss Sa SSeS ey =, ~~ re oo an —_* = nae ~